Dust mop cleaner



June 13, 1933. M. J. wlLLARD I DUST MOP CLEANER Filed Aug. 28, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet l l .515551111515 1111151115. ,11111111111111.11111111111511151111. .Il S Ill' I.' IIIIIIIIIIIIllllfllllllllllt/114511Hn1lvnw1lllillllllllrlllllllllllfdlfllllillllllff IllrlhhlllllllIIIIIIIUII ,1....54 24 3 m Gttornegs June 13, 1933. M wlLLARD 1,913,782

DUST MOP CLEANER Filed Aug. 28. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nventot 11WJim/ard 2 @mbuYMm Gttornegs Patented `lune 13, 1933 PATENT vOFFICE lMARY J. WILLARD, F DECATUR, ILLINOIS DUST M01 CLEANER- Application le.August 28, 1931. ySerial No. 560,034.

The present invention relates to improvements in means for cleaning dustmops or dry mops which will be free from objections that have beenincident to the means commonly employed for Vfreeing such articles fromcontained dust and dirt particles.

The'invention provides a very simple, inexpensive, and durable 'meansfor effectively cleaning the heads of dry mops in a sanitary manner, theparticles dislodged from the mop head being retained in a suitablereceptacle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ina construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter moreparticularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich l Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an embodiment ofthe invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Referring to the drawings, in the several views of which like parts aredesignated by the same reference character, the invention isparticularly designed for cleaning dust mops or dry mops which commonlycomprise ahandle 1 and a head 2 formed of fibrous or filamentarymaterial.

After such an article has been used for a relatively short time, thespaces between the strands of the head 2 become filled with particles ofdust and dirt and to provide a means for easily and effectively removingsuch particles is the principal object of the present invention.

The cleaning means of the invention comprises a suitable receptacle lhaving imperforate side walls and a bottom. The top of the receptacle isclosed by a cover consisting of two sections 5, 6, which are hinged asat 7 and may be held in closed relation by a suitable catch or latchmeans 8. At its center, the cover is provided with a suitable opening orpassage through which the handle 1 of the mop may extend when it isdesired to use the receptacle either as a means for storing the mop orfor cleaning the head thereof.

As shown, the section 6 of the cover is provided with a plurality ofperipheral slots through which are adapted to extend locking means, eachcomprising a bolt 9 which is piviotally mounted on the body 4 55 of thereceptacle so that it can be turned upward through the peripheral slotin the cover section, a lock nut 10 .engaging the threaded section `ofthe bolt to secure the cover rigidly to the receptacle.

Within the casing or receptacle 4 is removably arranged a basket-likeframe which, as shown, comprises three vertically spaced annular rings11, 12, and 13 that are suitably connectedV as by vertical rods or tiemembers 15 so that the frame may be removed or inserted in thereceptacle, as a unit, when the cover 5, 6 is removed.

The basket-like frame may be formed of suitable metal rods soldered orotherwise connected to provide a substantially rigid structure and whichserves as a'support for means adapted to cooperate with the head 2 of amop and dislodge contained particles of dust or dirt retained thereinwhen the mop is turned about the axis of its handle 1, as will behereinafter described."

As shown, the basket-like frame is supported within the receptacle bysuitable brackets or ears 2O attached lto the side walls 80 of thereceptacle and a central foot or downwardly extending projection 21which provides a suitable space between the bottom and side of the frameand the adjacent walls of the receptacle.

A brush 22 having its bristles directed upwardly is arranged to extenddiametrically across the bottom of the basket-like frame, said brushbeing supported in a siutable holder 23 which is connected at its endsto 9 the bottom ring member 18 of the frame. As shown, the side walls ofthe holder 23 are preferably bent inward slightly over the head or bodymember of the brush 22 s0 that the latter is held from relative verticalmovement in the supporting frame, but may be readily disconnected fromthe holder by endwi'se movement when the supporting frame has beenwithdrawn from the recepn tacle 4. lo"

Two vertically extending brushes 24, are arranged diametrically oppositeeach other at opposite sides of the bottom brush 22 with the bristlesthereof directed inward. The holders or guides for the vertical brushes24, 25 are closed at their lower ends and in cross section, such holdersare similar to that of the bottom brush 22. However, suoli verticalbrushes may be easily bodily withdrawn from the supporting frame whenthe cover 5, 6 has been removed or the entire cleaning frame withdrawnfrom the receptacle 4.

In addition. to the cleaning brushes referred to, the inner ends of thebristles of which are so arranged as to contact with the bottom face andsides of the mop head 2 when the latter is properly positioned withinthe cleaner', the basket-like frame includes a series of bottom andvertical inembers which provide a series of spaced surfaces with whichthe filament-s of the head 2 of the mop are adapted to contact so thatparticles of dust or dirt contained between such filaments will bedislodged. As shown, the bottom of the basket-like cleaner framecomprises a series of crimped rods 30, which extend diametrically acrossthe bottom ring 13 and are formed of suitably crimped or corrugatedrods, the upper ends of the corrugations extending substantially7 to thehorizontal plane of the free ends of the bristles of the brush 22.Similarly crimped rods 31 connect the bottom and top rings 11, 13 of theremovable frame and the inwardly directed portions of such rods fornicontact surfaces aga-inst which the head 2 of the mop will strike as itis oscillated about the longitudinal axis of its handle 1.

rlhe rods 30, 31 may be connected with the ring members of the frame bysolder or in any other suitable manner so that the entire cleaningdevice comprising` the base het-like frame, the brushes, and thecleaning members 30, 31 may be bodily removed as a unit from thereceptacle 4.

If desired, the cleaning means hereinbefore described may be effectivelyemployed for cleaning a mop the handle of which extends through theopening in the cover 5, 6 by merely grasping such handle and oscillatingthe mop. Preferably, however, mechanical means are provided foreffecting such oscillation.

As shown, a pinion is detachably clamped to the stem or handle 1 of themop in such relation to the head 2 thereof that when the latter is inposition to be cleaned by the brush 22, such pinion will be in the planeof a gear or rack 41 mounted to oscill`ate about a suitable pivot studon the cover section 6 and provided with a suitable actuating handle 42.The hub of the pinion 40, as shown, is recessed or grooved to receivethe adjacent edges of the cover sections 5, 6 and act as a verticalsupport for the mop Without interfering with the desired freeoscillation thereof.

The mop handle 1 is shown as provided above and below the pinion 40 withresilient guard discs or washers 45, 46, so that when the mop iswithdrawn from the cleaner and is being used, there will be no danger ofthe surface being cleaned being marred by con-- tact therewith of thepinion. As shown, the discs: 45, 46 extend radially beyond the peripheryof the pinion 40 and also beyond the periphery of clamps 50l by whichthe pinion is connected with the handle 1.

It is believed that the manner of using and advantages of the inventionwill be readily appreciated from the foregoing dcscription in connectionwith the drawings. When it is desired to clean the mop head 2,

the section 5 of the cover will be moved outward and the mop handle 1positioned as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, in which the pinion 40is in alignment and engagement with the actuating gear or rack 41.Thepcover section 5 being closed and secured in position by the catch 8,the mop will be vertically supported and by movement of the .handle 42,will be bodily oscillated about the axis of' its handle. suchoscillation, brushes 22, 24 and 25, as well as the beaterlike actionexerted by the rods 30, 31 will effectively loosen and dislodge anyparti cles of dirt and dust that have collected in the head 2 and thesame will fall into the u space beneath the cleaning means.

It will be noted that the bends or crimps in the vertically extendingcleaning members 31 are arranged at different elevations,

that is they are not in horizontal alignment, i

circumferentially of the receptacle. This arrangement provides abutmentsagainst lwhich the mop head will strike, when os- DuringA Y the contactof the cleaning cillated, over a maximum of vertical surface. w

There can, of course, be considerable variation and modification ofsome'of the details shown without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and except as where specifically noted in the appendedclaims, the invention is not to be understood to be limited to the exactdetails illustrated.

I claim:

1. A cleaner for dust inops comprising a substantially movable cover forsaid receptacle provided with an opening through which the handle of amop to be cleaned may extend, and cleaning means within the receptacleincluding a brush and relatively rigid beater mem- ""V` bers againstwhich the head of the mop is adapted to contact as the mop is bodilyturned about the axis of its handle, said brush and beater members beingpositioned inwardly of the cylindrical side wall of saidr cylindricalreceptacle, a re-i which the handle oi a mop receptacle and being spacedcircumferentially therearound.

2. A cleaner for dust mops comprising a receptacle, a removable coverfor said receptacle provided with an opening through which the handle ofa mop to be cleaned may extend, and cleaning means within the receptacleincluding a substantially horizontal brush spaced from the top of thereceptacle and having its bristles directed upward, and a plurality ofvertical relatively rigid, beater members positioned inwardly of thesides of the receptacle and extending above the horizontal plane of thebrush, for the purpose described.

3. A cleaner for dust mops comprising a receptacle, a removable coverfor said receptacle provided with an opening through to be cleaned mayextend, and cleaning means within the receptacle including asubstantially horizontal brush, with its bristles directed upward, twodiametrically opposite vertical brushes arranged on opposite sides ofand spaced Jfrom lsaid horizontal brush with their bristles directedinward, and a plurality of vertical relatively rigid, beater membersextending above the horizontal plane of the brush, for the purposedescribed.

4. A cleaner for dust mops comprising a receptacle, a removable coverfor said receptacle provided with an opening through which the handle ofa mop to be cleaned may extend, and cleaning means within the receptaclecomprising a substantially cylindrical basket-like frame removablysupported within the receptacle, the bottom and side walls of said frameboth including a plurality of transversely crimped rods providing aseries oprojections extending inwardly of the frame, a brush extendingradially of the bottom of said frame with its bristles directed upward,and a second brush extending vertically along the side wall of the frameand having its bristles directed inward.

5. A cleaner for dust mops comprising a receptacle, a removable coverfor said receptacle provided with an opening through which the handle ofa mop to be cleaned may extend, and cleaning means within the receptaclecomprising a substantiall cylindrical basket-like frame removab ysupported within the receptacle, a brush holder of channel form invertical cross section extending diametrically across the bottom of saidframe, a brush having its body fitted within and movable lengthwise ofthe channel of said holder with its bristles directed upward, and aseries of beater surfaces disposed adjacent the cylindrical side wall ofsaid frame and extending upward from the bottom thereof at oppositesides of said brush holder.

6. A cleaner for dust mops comprisingy a receptacle, a removable coverfor said receptacle provided with an opening through which the handle ofa mop to be cleaned may extend, and cleaning means within the receptaclecomprising a basket-like frame removably supported within the receptacleand including annular top and bottom rings, a brush holder extendingdiametrically across the bottom ring, a brush carried by a said holderand having the free ends of its bristles directed upward, a pluralitylof crimped rods extending diametrically of the bottom ring, the innerends of the crimps in said rods being substantially in the samehorizontal plane as the inner ends of the bristles of the brush, and aplurality of crimped rods connecting the top and bottom rings, for thepurpose described.

7. A dust mop cleaner for use with a mo handle having a pinion thereon,sai1d cleaner comprising a receptacle, a cover for the receptacle havinga passage through which the handle of the mop extends, a toothedactuating member pivotally mounted on the cover and adapted to mesh withthe pinion on the mop handle, and means within the receptacle forcontacting with the lower face and sides of the mop head within thereceptacle as the mop is oscil- 1Lated by operation of said actuatingmem- In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MARY J. WILLARD.

